REVIEW this
Colby Dix, i am. it is.
you should be.
(SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD)

Most Vermonters likely know Colby Dix
as one-fourth of the band Touchpants,
a foulmouthed local supergroup of
sorts that also includes Chris Friday,
Aram Bedrosian and Phish’s Jon
Fishman. That band is notorious for
its aggressively non-politically-correct
brand of humor, a base, off-color style
that makes Tenacious D seem like Raffi
by comparison. But as he reveals on his
debut solo record, i am. it is. you should
be., there is more to Colby Dix than dick
jokes.
In truth, Dix has accomplished
far more as a musician than simply

being part of a Fishman side project.
As an engineer and/or performer, the
Berklee grad has worked with the likes
of country superstars Brooks & Dunn,
indie popsters Matt & Kim, locals
the Jazz Mandolin Project and jam
stalwarts the Breakfast, to name a few.
That’s a diverse resume. And it’s one
that informs the wide-ranging sounds
found on his freshman solo outing.
Dix’s varied musical interests
are unquestionably a plus, and he
generally wears his coat of many colors
well. “Closer Walk” is a pretty, slowburning alt-folk cut that bears some
resemblance to the work of Boston’s
Joe Pernice in his Scud Mountain Boys
days. “Forget This” is a scintillating
number that should get the jam band set
a-wiggling. Dix follows that up with an
elegant acoustic gem, “I Know I Know
I Know,” that tugs at the heartstrings.
“Too Far” is an ambitious, atmospheric
epic that hints at an affinity for Dawes.
“Away” finds Dix vacillating between
a clean falsetto and a strained chest
voice that suggests time spent with
a Justin Vernon record or three. The
album closes on a trio of songs, “Try as
You Might,” “WTF” and “20 June,” that

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further display Dix’s chameleon quality,
venturing into ethereal indie folk, gritty
alt-rock and a sparse, tender acoustic
ballad, respectively.
Dix’s multifaceted approach is
intriguing. But if his record has a flaw, it
might be that he takes aim at too many
styles. Individually, almost all of these
songs are well crafted and compelling
— though these ears could do without
the adult-contemporary leanings of
opener “Two.” The issue is that, taken
29 South Main Street • Alburgh, VT
collectively, the album struggles to
10-4, M-Sa • 796.4694 • newdye.com
settle into a cohesive groove. But that’s
a minor gripe, considering the record’s
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11/13/13 3:47 PM
many other fine qualities. And, given the
cherry-picking manner in which most
listeners consume music now, perhaps
it’s actually beneficial. In any case, i am.
it is. you should be. is a strong debut that
Personalized Tours
often borders on brilliance and reveals
in the Comfort
an overlooked talent.
i am. it is. you should be. by Colby Dix
of a Customized Van
is available at colbydix.com. Dix plays a
• Holiday Gift Certiﬁcates •
release show at Nectar’s in Burlington
“You gave us a wonderful
this Saturday, December 14.

look into Burlington’s past.”

DAN BOLLES

SCAN THIS PAGE WITH LAYAR
TO LISTEN TO TRACKS

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Peter Day, Break
Down the Heavy

(SELF-RELEASED, CD, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD)

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TEXT
HERE

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friday, dec. 20, 3-7pm

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for growler pour

12.11.13-12.18.13

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unapologetic about them as he is
about his unabashed hooks.
“Been There All Along” sets the
record’s upbeat tone with a driving
groove and warm sheen of guitars and
keys. Day drops the record’s title at
the bridge, repeating, “Break down
the heavy, gonna find a song.” If James
Taylor and Paul Simon got together to
out-soothe each other with agreeable
crooning, it might sound something like
this.
Day writes that his solo record was
born out of finding beauty in dark
times. “The Beauty That Surrounds”
is the most overt example of that idea.
And especially at the harmony-heavy,
Doobie Brothers-styled chorus, it is
undoubtedly beautiful. The same could
be said of “If You Looked Both Ways.”

Driven by a sparse piano progression
and accented with steely (Dan)
atmospherics, it is the album’s lone
moment of darkness. But even given
the song’s cloudy disposition, Day finds
a ray of light and gives it voice with an
uplifting blue-eyed-soul sensibility.
Forming the core of Day’s band are
drummer Sean Preece, keyboardist
Leon Campos and his Grift conspirator, SCAN THIS PAGE
WITH LAYAR
Clint Bierman. They’re joined by
percussionist Daiko Hirani, bassist Josh SEE PROGRAM COVER
Weinstein, vocalists Jer Coons and Mike
Pedersen, and, on the opening track,
banjo player Seth Folsom. That’s a topnotch supporting cast. Collectively, they
frame Day’s compositions with taste
and tact, leaving just enough room for
the album’s true star, Day, to shine. And
he does, offering a warm suite of songs
that could melt even the most cynical
hearts.
Break Down the Heavy by Peter
Day is available at peterdaymusic.com.
Day will play a CD release show at
the Skinny Pancake in Burlington on
Saturday, December 21.

11/8/13 1:43 PM

SEVENDAYSVT.COM

For more than a decade, Peter Day
has co-fronted local rockers the Grift,
a group whose technical prowess
and innate knack for tight harmonies
and sticky melodies have made them
staples of the Vermont scene at large.
That band’s most recent album, 2009’s
Doppelganger, found them shedding
some of their earlier jammy tendencies
in favor of a leaner, more pop-centric
sound. On his new solo record, Break
Down the Heavy, Day continues that
shift, delivering a sunny collection of
tunes that should satisfy fans of the
Grift and attract new listeners with a
pop-rock sweet tooth.
On his website, Day outlays a lengthy
list of influences that reads like who’swho of pop-rock luminaries: Paul
Simon, Rubber Soul-era Beatles, Tom
Petty, James Taylor. Those are pretty
common touchstones for anyone who
has penned a catchy verse-chorus-verse
in the last 50 years. And in Day’s case,
he wears his influences proudly on his
rolled-up Oxford shirtsleeves. He’s as